A weigh scale unit may be used in conjunction with a beverage preparation machine to prepare beverages efficiently. The weigh scale unit may provide the status of ingredient addition to a beverage receptacle. The weigh scale unit may send instructions and/or data to the beverage preparation machine. In some embodiments, the beverage preparation machine sends instructions and/or data to the weigh scale unit.

A coffee maker efficiently automates the process of pour-over coffee brewing by employing a computer system that controls how and when hot water is dispensed into a coffee filter. The computer system controls a mechanism that pulls a nozzle back and forth along a linear track, and rotates the linear track. A user generally puts a coffee filter in place and then pushes a button on the computer system once to allow the system to wet the coffee filter. Then the user could put coffee grounds into the coffee filter and push the button again to allow the system to lightly wet the surface of the coffee grounds. The user could then place the coffee cup underneath the filter and push the button a third time to allow coffee to be slowly brewed as spirals of hot water are dispensed on the coffee grounds.

Procedure and machine for preparing hot drinks starting from a tank of water at atmospheric pressure that allows fine adjustment of the infusion and extraction parameters, as well as automatic or manual management thereof, by way of at least one control unit, with selection being allowed by way of a rotary coder with a button function, the machine being equipped with a single rotary pump controlled by way of a pulse-width modulation circuit and with wireless communication means. The machine is destined for the industrial sector of manufacturing machines for preparing hot drinks.

A method and a system are disclosed for managing a brewing process in which a solution is produced by mixing a solvent with a solute and a beverage is extracted from the solution. The system includes a temperature sensor device for sensing a temperature change per unit time of the solvent to create temperature information; a first measurement device for sensing a weight increase per unit time of the beverage to create first weight information while counting the time elapsed in the brewing process to create timing information; and a computing device comparing preset standard-state information with the temperature, first weight and timing information. A warning message is displayed on the computing device to remind a brewing operator to stop brewing the beverage when any of the temperature, first weight and timing information created at a specific unit time does not match the standard-state information of the same unit time.

A device to produce personalized mixtures of substances intended to obtain and optimize beverages for a specific individual or user, includes a plurality of containers of basic substances, at least a measuring device and management and control means. The device is associated to the management and control means configured to carry out instructions regarding personalized formulas that express univocal sensory profiles or profiles functional to the specific needs of a specific individual or user.

A brewing process for operating a brewing apparatus, the process comprising the steps of: providing a data set corresponding to a selected recipe; said data set including operating values for any one or a combination of water temperature data, flow rate data and pressure data; commencing the brewing process; adjusting the temperature, flow rate or pressure of the machine so as to correspond with the data set.

A portable coffee brewing device includes a lid pivotally connected to an upper end of the container by a hinge and button. A heating element housing and an electrical component housing is connected to a lower end of the container. A drain is positioned in a bottom wall of the container and is fluidly connected to a heating element positioned within the heating element housing. The heating element is controlled by electrical components positioned in the electrical components housing. A drip tube is fluidly connected to the heating element and the lid. A single serve coffee holding device is positioned below the lid. When the container is filled with fluid and the heating element is powered, heated fluid is forced up the drip tube through the passageway in the lid and into the coffee grounds holding device in a continuous cycle. The device is connectable to an external power source.

An apparatus, system and device are provided for dispensing a granular food product into a receptacle for consumption. The apparatus includes: a hopper containing said granular food product, said hopper having an outlet proximate a bottom end thereof; a dispensing rotor mounted in said hopper, said rotor rotatable to push said granular food product through said outlet; a control subsystem operable to receive a signal indicative of a desired quantity of said granular food product and to dispense the desired quantity of said food product through said outlet by rotating said rotor by a specific amount; and a chute positioned below said outlet to direct dispensed food product into said receptacle.

A system for and method of processing customer orders are disclosed. The system contains an order entry device, software having a database and at least an interface function, an algorithm adapted for selecting the order processing location and adapted for transmitting customer orders to the order processing device. The method of processing customer orders includes collecting the orders at an order entry device such as a point of sale, prioritizing and queuing the orders, identifying the best point of delivery for each order, transmitting the order to the point of delivery and processing the order at the point of delivery. This saves time for the customer and improves the accuracy of filling the orders.

A method automatically evaluates the quality of milk foam dispensed by a machine for dispensing milk-based beverages through the analysis of an image of the free surface of the frothed milk contained in a container, wherein the analysis uses automatic procedures for processing images for identifying and quantifying, in the processed image, a physical characteristic representative of the texture of the surface of the frothed milk and hence indicative of the quality of milk foam, the physical characteristic being the plurality of air bubbles.